Mazes or labyrinths, in general, have been known for an indeterminable number of years. A maze has been used to contain persons, conceal objects and the like. More commonly today, the maze is used as a form of entertainment and challenge for the participant with the objective being to maneuver oneself or an object from beginning to end as quickly as possible.
Traditionally, mazes were two-dimensional allowing movement forward, backward or laterally. However, three-dimensional mazes have become popular as amusement devices. One such U.S. Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 2,261,804, to Hall discloses a three-dimensional closed container in which a plurality of contiguous cubical shapes form the maze structure. Apertures in the walls of the cubicles form an irregular passage through which human interaction is required to maneuver an inanimate object, often a small ball. While the Hall Patent is a three-dimensional maze, such a maze would not serve any purpose without human interaction. More importantly, while the maze routes may be chosen and limited initially, the closed containment structure prevents the user from routinely changing them. Additionally, its closed structure would permit neither the easy introduction of small animals, nor the ability to easily clean the structure regularly.
Another three-dimensional labyrinth, U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,098 to Huang, discloses a three-dimensional maze game which employs interlocking septa and level plates inside a modular containment structure or stacked casings. However, even though the interior is accessible, the invention employs dumbbells for limiting the maze routes. Even though the septa may be randomly perforated, although shown totally perforated, this additional element is used and nothing suggests the interchangeability of the septa. In fact, this type of change could be troublesome in view of the separate casings and plates. Certainly, the act of interchanging the analogous grid elements of the present invention would provide any reasonably necessary degree of flexibility. Moreover, the level plates which Huang employs have holes `equally spaced and evenly distributed over the whole plate` so that, in this case, there is without question no means for changing maze routes by interchangeability or rotation, and thus, the dumbbells are relied upon. Again, sufficient flexibility is derived with the planar surfaces and modules of the present invention via the more efficient means. Additionally, some grid elements are left out for animal living space.
Six additional patents disclose relevant animal structures:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,260,236 to Jones discloses a two-dimensional maze with no provisions for flexibility. While admirably designed for employing inexpensive material, namely coated cardboard, it is capable of disassembly, and in view of these characteristics, a number of features could prove to be troublesome. The creases and tabs are subject to wear and breakage and the slots in the floor could collect foreign material.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,516,389 to Meyer discloses a modular two-dimensional maze employing trenches in base plates for receiving wall panels and allowing for change of routes. However, the empty trenches will accumulate waste and influence animal travel. Moreover, many parts, namely hinges, clips, and extruded strip are necessary for assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,364 to Miller discloses a modular maze for small animals which accommodates change of maze routes. Again, however, many elements are employed, namely, grooved posts, pegs, a perforated floor, and ramps. These must be individually assembled and disassembled and will collect waste.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,807 to Reich discloses a cat condominium which uniquely uses carpeting to make it a "hinged" collapsible structure, but the maze concept is not well represented in that there is only one compartment per level and the design is fixed.
U.S. Pat. No. D265,139 to Salvato discloses a design for a cat playground which is essentially a closed container which has a limited number of openings. However, the design is fixed, cannot be disassembled for cleaning, and does not use any repetition of structure for a manufacturing advantage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,938 to Tominaga discloses a unique vertical maze currently on the market. However, it is dependent on a cage for completion; that is, it cannot stand alone. Other limitations are that it fits only one size of cage and does not employ a means for changing routes and thereby encouraging human interaction.
Also on the market for small animals are interconnecting plastic tubes. While such a concept is unlimited in the number of possible variations, it can become costly, and require substantially more space for equivalent complexity. It is also more difficult to clean and interconnecting sections can accidentally come apart.
The present maze structure combines the concepts of mazes as puzzles and mazes used for scientific study to form a three-dimensional maze structure which serves to amuse and provide living space for an animal and provide a source of entertainment for humans through observation. This invention offers several advantages over its predecessors. Primarily, the use of (a) interchangeable grid elements, (b) interchangeable or rotatable planar surfaces, and (c) rotatable modules in modular form allow for a reasonable degree of flexibility with a minimum number of parts which further serves to facilitate cleaning and minimize assembly time. At the same time, manufacturing cost is minimized through the repetition of parts. All the above-cited patents either lack a means for change or require extra parts. Also, the structure occupies a minimal amount of space for the complexity. It may be used alone, inside of a pet cage, or as a cage extension. Inside a pet cage, the maze structure creates more usable floor space by using levels and by supporting a toy or food dish on top. Leaving out grid elements can provide living space. In a large enough embodiment, planar surfaces without any apertures at all could be used to house animals separately. When used as a cage extension with the tube system, the maze would connect with said tubes via a tube connector which is well known in the art. In this form, there would be limited access through one or two connecting apertures and the containment structure would include a top. When used alone as a toy, it would again have a top and the entrance/exit apertures covered by any conventional means.